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Anne-Marie on her first gig in India: It’s like one giant party!

- Sugandha Rawal sugandha.rawal@hindustant­imes.com

British pop star Anne-Marie, who visited India for the first time, admits it has been an experience she will treasure forever. The singer made her debut in the country with her gig at a music fest that was held in Pune recently.

“I love exploring different countries and cultures as a part of what I do. India has been one of my favourites [so far]. People here are beautiful and welcoming,” Marie tells us.

Opening up about her performanc­e, she shares, “It was crazy to perform at such a large scale in front of such a large audience, but [also] so much fun! It’s like throwing one giant party with lots of dancing and loud singing — the best kind of party.”

Marie was surprised to see a good number of fans in India. “Given that I had never been to India before, I was surprised to see the fan following. But it’s amazing to see how far your music can travel and connect with people; I feel very lucky,” she adds.

Talking about her stay here, the 31year-old singer continues, “It’s a really special place; the food, the music, the people. There’s a unique energy here. I’ve loved exploring and learning more about it. We went to the ISKCON Temple, went to some markets, tried as much food as possible and took in the most beautiful sunset on the beach. It’s all been wonderful.”

Marie catapulted to fame in 2018 as the vocalist on Clean Bandit’s Rockabye and soon started out as a solo artiste. Since then, she has been nominated for 10 Brit Awards, written a self-help book, and given hits such as Friends and Don’t Play.

For Marie, music is a route to releasing her anxiety and has helped her grow as a person. “Starting therapy during the lockdown was a big moment for me; it helped me understand and cope with anxiety, which was a huge change and really liberating,” she says.

She wraps up with a special message for her fans in India: “I want to thank the people of India and my fans here for being so welcoming. It’s been an unforgetta­ble experience.”

 ?? PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/ANNEMARIE ??
PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/ANNEMARIE

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